Slovenia year 2016 stamps Olympic games Brazil set MNH

Slovenia year 2016 stamps Olympic games Brazil set MNH

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Slovenia made its seventh consecutive appearance as an independent nation. The Slovenian Olympic Committee fielded a team of 63 athletes, consisting of 39 men and 24 women, competing across 12 sports at the Games. Notably, men’s handball was the only team sport in which Slovenia qualified, marking its return to the Olympics after missing the previous two editions.

Twenty-one of the 63 participants had prior Olympic experience, with sailor Vasilij Žbogar, a bronze medalist in Athens 2004 and a silver medalist in Beijing 2008, being the most experienced competitor. Žbogar, competing in the Finn class, was considered a potential medal favorite and was selected as the flag bearer for the Slovenian delegation during the opening ceremony. Other notable athletes included world judo champion Tina Trstenjak in the women’s 63 kg category, two-time slalom kayak world champion Peter Kauzer, and three-time world championship medalist in canoeing Benjamin Savšek.

Slovenia had a successful outing in Rio de Janeiro, earning a total of four medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze), which matched its overall tally from both Athens 2004 and London 2012. Tina Trstenjak emerged as the Olympic champion in the women’s 63 kg judo event, succeeding Urška Žolnir. Peter Kauzer improved upon his sixth-place finish from London by securing a silver medal in the men’s slalom K-1 event. Vasilij Žbogar added to his Olympic medal collection with a silver in the Finn class, marking his third career Olympic medal and solidifying his status as one of the most successful Olympians in the history of independent Slovenia.